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GAA

25th Jun 2018

Leinster final attendance drops significantly from 2017 final

Jack O'Toole

Dublin cruised to a record eighth consecutive Leinster final win on Sunday with a 1-25 to 0-10 win over Laois at Croke Park.

The defending All-Ireland champions won their 57th provincial championship and their 13th title from the last 14 finals but the victory came in front of just 41,728 people, making the 2018 final the second worst attended Leinster final of the last decade.

The 80,112 fans that watched Dublin defeat Wexford in the 2008 Leinster final remains the best attended final of the decade with the 2018 final down 47.9% from that mark.

Furthermore, the 2018 final was also down 37.5% from the 66,734 supporters that attended the 2017 Leinster final between Dublin and Kildare.

Interestingly, 81,394 fans turned up to Croke Park the last time Dublin played Laois in a Leinster final in 2007 when 1-6 from Mark Vaughan lifted Dublin to a 3-14 to 1-14 win.

Final attendances by year

2008 – 80,112

2009 – 74,573

2010 – 48, 875

2011 – 43, 983

2012 – 69,657

2013 – 54,485

2014 – 62,660

2015 – 47,480

2016 – 38, 885

2017 – 66,734

2018 – 41,728

Dublin will now face Donegal in the opening round of the Super 8 series next month on July 14 or 15 and Jacks manager Jim Gavin has said that he feels some degree of sympathy for those on the outside looking in next month.

“There will be fantastic games, that’s for sure,” said Gavin.

“On the broad concept of it, there’s eight teams that’ll qualify for it – on the isle there’s probably 24 other teams looking in going, ‘That’s a nice party, it would be nice to be part of it.

“But we’re just delighted to qualify, that’s all we can do. You’ll have eight really good strong teams and there will be some great games, I’m sure.”